2025 NFL Coach of the Year odds released
Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to the college football national title, then within days, jumped to the NFL. While oddsmakers aren’t projecting that kind of success for the coach, they do believe he’ll have a huge impact in the league.
How big? NFL Coach of the Year for 2024 kind of big. DraftKings Sports Book has established the odds for the 10 most likely candidates to earn coach of the year. Kevin Stefanski won 2023 honors for leading the Browns to the first round of the playoffs, despite needing five different starting quarterbacks.
So let’s take a look at Harbaugh, who now is with the Chargers, and the other candidates the oddsmakers believe will have eye-popping seasons.
Jim Harbaugh, Chargers (+550)
Did you know Harbaugh already has one NFL Coach of the Year trophy? He won that back in his first NFL stint when he coached the 49ers in 2011.
The Chargers were an underachieving bunch for a chunk of last season. They own the fifth pick of April’s draft, so Harbaugh can begin addressing team needs. But Harbaugh also has Justin Herbert at quarterback and a bevy of other offensive talent to build around.
Matt LaFleur, Packers (+800)
If you go by results, LaFleur seems like an obvious choice for preseason coach of the year. After all, he led the Packers to the second-round of the NFC playoffs before falling to the 49ers in San Francisco. And Green Bay even blew a big lead. The week before, the Packers upset second-seeded Dallas to open the post-season.
LaFleur’s team was the youngest in the NFL last year. Count on quarterback Jordan Love getting even better with another season as a starter.
Raheem Morris, Falcons (+1000)
Morris is back for his second stint as the Falcons head coach having served as the interim in 2020 after Atlanta fired Dan Quinn. The Falcons posted three straight 7-9 seasons, which led to the dismissal of Arthur Smith and the hiring of Morris, who also was the head coach of the Bucs the decade before.
Morris is defensive-minded. But he’ll need to find a solution at quarterback if the Falcons are going to improve their record.
Shane Steichen, Colts (+1400)
Steichen, in his first year in Indianapolis, very nearly got the Colts to the playoffs. But in the final game of the season, Indy lost to the Texans, a defeat that knocked them out of the postseason.
Steichen accomplished this despite having to rely on a rookie starter at quarterback, then a journeyman. Anthony Richardson should be healthy. Meanwhile, Gardner Minshew, who made the Pro Bowl, will be finding another team to possibly save.
Robert Saleh, Jets (+1400)
Maybe this is the year that Saleh and the Jets make some noise on the field. The team thought it had the makings of a playoff contender last fall, only to lose newly signed Aaron Rodgers on the fourth play of the season opener with an Achilles injury.
Saleh did a decent job holding the Jets together. Rodgers should be back again for this season. And New York still has top offensive talent with Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson.
Mike Macdonald, Seahawks (+1400)
The Seahawks parted ways with Pete Carroll and went with another defensive-minded coach in Mike Macdonald, who was one of the top candidates in the NFL.
Macdonald had spent his entire pro career working with the Ravens, joining the team in 2014 as an intern. He spent one year away from Baltimore, working as the DC. The Seahawks just missed the playoffs. This week, the team let starting quarterback Geno Smith know that he’ll receive a guaranteed roster bonus, meaning the Seahawks plan on keeping him around.
DeMeco Ryans, Texans (+1400)
Ryans had a dream-like debut for Houston, taking the Texans to the second round of the NFL playoffs. Ryans, the former DC of the 49ers, had extra inspiration since he used to play for the Texans.
But the Texans won mostly because Houston knew who and how to draft. Quarterback CJ Stroud and Will Anderson, last season’s NFL rookies of the year, are back for the fall. And Houston fans will up their expectations.
Sean McVay, Rams (+1800)
The Rams rebounded in a big way last fall, with McVay leading them to a wildcard berth and 10 wins.
McVay mixed some superb vets with a rookie class to make the playoff run. And the good news for the Rams is that Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp are still around. So is receiver Puka Nacua, who contended with Stroud for rookie of the year.
Matt Eberflus, Bears (+1800)
Will the Bears turn it around? Eberflus’ first job is to figure out what to do with quarterback Justin Fields, the team’s first-round pick from 2021. He could be a hot commodity on the trade market, possibly landing with the Steelers.
The Bears are making a decision on Fields because they own the top pick of the NFL Draft. The team got it as a result of a trade they made with the Panthers last year so that Carolina could select Bryce Young. There’s a good possibility Chicago could draft Caleb Williams. Or Eberflus could trade out of the pick and stack draft choices.
Dave Canales, Panthers (+2000)
The Panthers pulled Canales away from the Bucs, where he’d been the offensive coordinator. His first job will be to install his offense.
Then his most prominent to-do item is to work with Young. He helped revive Baker Mayfield’s career in Tampa. Young’s career doesn’t need to be remade. It needs to be molded. If Canales is successful, then the Panthers should start winning.
The field
- Mike McDaniel, Dolphins (+2000)
- Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals (+2000)
- Jerod Mayo, Patriots (+2000)
- Dan Campbell, Lions (+2000)
- Kyle Shanahan, 49ers (+2200)
- Antonio Pierce, Raiders (+2200)
- Zac Taylor, Bengals (+2200)
- Doug Pederson, Jaguars (+2500)
- Dan Quinn, Commanders (+2500)
- Brian Callahan, Titans (+2500)
- Mike Tomlin, Steelers (+2800)
- Sean Payton, Broncos (+3000)
- Kevin O’Connell, Vikings (+3000)
- Sean McDermott, Bills (+3500)
- Nick Sirianni, Eagles (+4000)
- Brian Daboll, Giants (+4000)
- Mike McCarthy, Cowboys (+4500)
- John Harbaugh, Ravens (+4500)
- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers (+6000)
- Kevin Stefanski, Browns (+6000)
- Dennis Allen, Saints (+6000)
- Andy Reid, Chiefs (+7500)
Granted, all this is conjecture. The NFL is in the midst of scouting draft prospects. Then it’ll be time to sign free agents and conduct mini-camps. Then it’ll be time for more coach of the year musings.